Heart Grows Fonder
by Sera Saturn
Summary: After being separated for two months, Jacob and Evie are reunited on a journey to find an artefact. Warning: Fryecest.


**Summary: **After being separated for two months, Jacob and Evie are reunited on a journey to find an artefact. Warning: Fryecest.

**Note:** This story is only to be posted on fanfiction dot net.

**Heart Grows Fonder**

_– CHAPTER ONE __–  
__**Biscuits and Tea**_

_Dearest Jacob,_

_In regards to my remark in the last letter, surely you realise I wasn't serious. Truthfully, I didn't intend to sound so heartless – I thought you would understand it was intended in jest. It seems as though putting words to paper requires more skill than I care to possess. But, I will not make more excuses. I realise my mistake. So whilst I'm sure you'll vex me mercilessly for this, I will admit the hardest part of this journey is being unable to see you._

_This is the longest we have been separated, and even after two months, it continues to feel so peculiar. Do you want to know something ridiculous? I used to find your jokes so bothersome – and you know I've told you this countless times. Yet as much as I don't want to admit it, I miss your awful jokes. This journey is filled with endless noise, but without you it is terribly quiet._

_Well, enough of that. In this letter alone, you likely have a year's worth of material to humiliate me. Satisfied? I hope so, because this shall be the final letter I send. As I write this I am preparing to leave Bath and board the train. The artefact is within my reach. Or more accurately – within your reach. Many documents I have translated hint towards elaborate tunnels beneath a 'garden of Eden'. At first, I thought it too coincidental to be true. How __could it be that after searching across the country, the artefact has been lying beneath your feet all along? But of course, there's no such thing as coincidences when father is involved. He's been leading us to the answer from the very beginning. Perhaps I have been too obstinate to see the right solution is the most obvious one._

_If all has gone well, I will be arriving shortly after you receive this letter. I look forward to seeing you again, dear brother, juvenile taunts and all._

_Yours sincerely,  
__Evie_

Evie Frye held up the familiar letter, the paper as crisp and smooth as when she first wrote it. The envelope it came in was another matter – ripped apart as though it contained something too valuable for patience. She returned the letter to its cluttered desk, where the wooden surface was warmed by sunlight pouring through the windows. Floorboards creaked from behind.

"Brilliant," she sighed loudly. "I thought I'd arrived too early, but perhaps I'm too late. He's clearly nowhere to be seen ... I suppose I'll try again later."

She strolled through the hallway with purposeful steps, waiting for a sign of movement or sound. As she grabbed the front doorhandle, she dared to wonder if her ears had deceived her, and whether she was just imagining the feeling that something was behind her. She dared, but she knew better.

Someone squeezed her shoulder; a light and familiar touch.

"Well, well," she said, turning around. "He finally makes himself known –"

A grotesque red mask greeted her in return.

"Agh!" Evie reflexively aimed a punch at their face, her fist just grazing the mask's surface before her wrist was caught.

"What in the devil's name are you doing?" a muffled voice asked.

"Says the devil himself," she huffed. "Really, Jacob – if this is your way of welcoming me, I'm not so certain I intend to stay."

Jacob promptly removed the mask. His face appeared flushed and sweaty – likely from wearing that stuffy and rather horrendous disguise. Other than that, he looked marginally the same; bearing the same swept back brown hair and the same sideburns. The same half-respectable, half-thuggish outfit.

_Of course he's the same,_ she thought. _Who changes in two months?_

Two months. She had formed a habit of reminding herself of this length of time. If she had possessed no concept of the days and months, she could swear it had been years since she had seen her brother.

"You said it yourself, Evie," said Jacob, his mouth twitching upwards. "Didn't you miss my awful jokes?"

"This goes beyond a witty remark or two. You've turned into a complete jester –"

"Witty, you say?"

"I suppose I'll admit you possess a modicum of wit, as fleeting as it may be."

He held the mask to his face and bowed. "I thank you for the compliment, mademoiselle."

Evie sighed, yet couldn't help but smile. "Let's sit down, already, shall we?"

Jacob led her past the study and into the drawing room, if it could be called that. It seemed that since she left, he had taken on the challenge of concealing the floor with as much clutter as possible. Hats, coats, books, and socks – all had escaped their respective shelves and drawers to form a bumpy sea of odds and ends.

As Evie stepped through the mess, Jacob pushed a pile of books off the sofa and made a somewhat proud noise of "Ahem!"

"You're being so careless," said Evie, picking up the texts and brushing them off. "These aren't even your books, see? _Property of Evie Frye._"

"Well, I didn't realise they were yours. I simply thought they were as they appeared ... useless old books."

"Who else could they have belonged to?" Evie asked, carefully setting the volumes aside and sitting down. "We're the only ones that have lived here."

Jacob scratched his head. "Oh, I just assumed boring books materialised out of thin air, hoping for a stranger to stumble upon them and take a gander. Why else would someone read them?"

"I don't know – to learn? Expand their mind? To think beyond, 'Eat, sleep, and drink'?"

"Evie, my dear, you've just listed the three things I love most. After you, of course. On second thought, sleeping comes first. Then eating, and then ... well, let's say you tie third with drinking."

She tried to glare at him, but she could only muster a simper. "I'm glad you've got your priorities in order."

"I try my best." He sat in the armchair across from her and set the mask aside.

"You really kept that mask after all this time?" Evie asked.

"A souvenir from our paranormal investigations. The disguise of an overzealous cult leader ... how could I resist?"

"It's unfortunate how little there was to the supernatural in this city. Just a group of crafty madmen, hell-bent on frighting everyone."

"Ah, so you've finally hopped aboard the sceptic train?"

"Oh, ghosts still exist. I just believe they have better things to do than play tricks on people."

"Of course," Jacob said. "Why should ghosts have all the fun? Save some for the goblins and fairies –"

"You know, one of these days we ought to have a séance. Perhaps then you'll think twice about mocking the underworld."

"I'm simply preparing the underworld for what's to come. Who knows? They may have a better sense of humour than you."

"I certainly hope they have more tolerance."

"That'd be a sure accomplishment."

Evie lifted her chin to gaze past Jacob and out the window. The sun had already drifted to the other side of town, pulling light away from the house.

"It's already the afternoon," she said, standing. "I wanted to check the tunnels before evening."

Jacob blinked. "You've just arrived and you're already going?"

"What else am I going to do? Have biscuits and tea?"

"Well, I did prepare some beforehand."

"Very funny," Evie chuckled.

"I'm not kidding you," said Jacob, pointing behind her. "Laugh at my tea-making skills all you want – the biscuits are another matter. I searched the markets for days before I found those little monstrosities."

Evie glanced to where he was pointing and spotted a tray on a side-table. Sure enough, there sat a large teapot and two empty teacups. On the side, there lied the tallest stack of biscuits she had ever witnessed.

"Are those ... raisin biscuits?" she asked quietly.

"I spat out a mouthful the moment I tried one, so yes, I believe they are raisin biscuits."

She carefully selected a biscuit and took a small bite. It tasted sweet, tangy and buttery – just as she remembered.

"I ... figured it must have been years since you've had one," Jacob said, joining her side.

Evie looked down, but felt a smile tug at her lips. "Father would bring two boxes home whenever he returned from a trip. One for you and me. Of course, you hated raisins with such a passion that I ended up devouring them all."

"They're the ugly stepsister of grapes. I don't know why father continued to bring them when I'd just end up giving my share to you."

"Maybe as it gave us a rare opportunity to not fight with each other. Or he just enjoyed seeing your look of disgust. I know I did."

Jacob crossed his arms and made a noise of "Hmph". It seemed intended as an exaggerated gesture, but Evie noticed a hint of resignation in his eyes. She gave him a light pat on the back.

"Thank you, Jacob," she said. "This is ... one of the most thoughtful things someone has done for me."

"I'm glad you appreciate it. God knows someone has to eat those things."

"Well, I will. So perhaps we could check the tunnels later? Have some tea and a biscuit or a dozen?"

"Sounds like a plan," Jacob nodded. "It's good to have you back, Evie."

"It's good to be back."

* * *

**A/N:** A fanfic I wrote five years ago, discovered it amongst a bunch of other fanfics, including Harry Potter and Life Is Strange. I remember the dialogue was fun to write between these two. Let me know your thoughts! This will just a short, light fic, maybe around five chapters.


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